Emotions are intertwined with our physical experiences and correlate with conscious responses to situations. Human beings tend to focus on positive emotions and disregard destructive ones. In the digital age, when personal interaction occurs online, it is becoming harder to express and communicate feelings. This paper dwells on the purpose and importance of emotional expression as well as the role of the brain in this process. It also considers the ways people construct their reactions in a social context.
In everyday life, an individual is not able to track all the emotional responses he or she produces. The brain relies on past experiences to create a hypothesis or a simulation to define meanings in outside signals. It has been scientifically proved that sensory inputs coming from hearing, seeing, or taste are simulations but not conscious reactions (Feldman Barrett, p. 27). Physical receptions of the body ignited by these sensory inputs help interpret any given situation and respond emotionally.
Furthermore, emotional responses or expressions serve as tools that inform others about one’s feelings. These behavioral replies stimulate individuals to communicate through verbal and non-verbal cues (Eglantine). Facial looks and body language are exchanged in the process of interaction to make it faster and smoother. Although it is possible to control and even suppress emotions, health outcomes can be detrimental. Therefore, they are vital for regulating inner feelings and psycho-emotional state of mind.
When the human brain processes and interprets emotions, it activates various zones. For example, the feeling of happiness triggers the right frontal cortex and the precuneus (Moawad). Fear involves the frontal cortex and the hypothalamus, which is linked to the survival instinct (Moawad). To conclude, emotions convey meanings that explain changes in feelings and sensations. As a result, human beings act in any given situation by using past experiences and predictions.
Works Cited
- Eglantine, Julle-Daniere. “Communicating Emotions.” Psychology Today, 2019. Web.
- Feldman Barrett, Lisa. How Emotions are made. The Secret Life of the Brain. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017.
- Moawad, Heidi. “How the Brain Processes Emotions.” Neurology Times, 2017. Web.